


Easter Egg Hunt

by GhostDetective



Series: Downton Shorts [4]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Class-Divide Relationship, Father Figures, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Multi, Thomas Adores the Children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 20:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14172777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostDetective/pseuds/GhostDetective
Summary: The children search for Easter eggs in the gardens at Downton Abbey, overseen by their favourite Butler.





	Easter Egg Hunt

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Easter! It seems the perfect time to have a cute scene with Thomas and the children. Set after the finale, but Marigold is just that little bit too young to take part. Evelyn loves how much his boyfriend cares about these kids.

George searched the low branches of an apple tree, looking for brightly coloured eggs which had been hidden in the garden for the children. He checked between the leaves and between the branches, but saw nothing. He tried the hedge, but had no joy. 

He sighed. Sybbie seemed to be finding lots, but George wasn’t having as much luck. He looked sadly at his basket. Then he heard a voice from above him.  
“What’s the matter, Master George?” He looked up to see Barrow smiling kindly at him.  
“I can’t find the Easter eggs.” His lip wobbled. Barrow gave him a sympathetic look.  
“I’m sure you’ll find some. Why don’t you try the plant pots?” 

George wandered over and checked a couple. Sure enough, he pulled out two eggs. He grinned holding them up to show Barrow.  
“Look! I found some!”  
Thomas beamed back.  
“Well done, Master George!”  
George put them in his basket and looked around for others.  
“You’re getting warmer.” Thomas called as George headed towards a shrub. He checked the foliage. “You’re really warm.” Barrow prompted. George looked down and saw a pile of stones, in amongst them were small, coloured eggs. He picked them up.  
“I found some more!”  
“That’s brilliant, Master George.” Thomas called. “I think there’s just a few more and they’re close by…”  
“Found them!!” George squealed, holding up the eggs.  
“Well done!” Thomas said. “I think that’s all of them found now. If you’d both like to come back.” 

George and Sybbie ran back to Thomas. Mary and Tom coming to meet them.  
“Well done, both of you.” He smiled. “How many did you find?”  
George counted the small eggs in his basket.  
“Eight!”  
“Well done, Master George! And Miss Sybbie?”  
“Twelve.”  
“Well done!” Thomas congratulated her.  
George’s face fell slightly. Sybbie hugged him.  
“We can share the eggs, George.”  
His face lit up.  
“Yay!”  
Thomas beamed at her.  
“That’s very kind of you, Miss Sybbie.” Thomas smiled. She really was growing to be like her mother. Mary and Tom shared a fond look, clearly thinking the same thing, before they congratulated their children and brought them to meet the rest of the family in the gazebo. 

Thomas leaned against the garden wall and took out a cigarette.  
“You’re so good with those children.”  
Thomas turned to see Evelyn Napier watching him. He smiled.  
“They’re good kids.” Thomas smiled affectionately. “Sybbie is so kind, I can see so much of Sybil in her and George is a delight, I can see so much of Matthew in him.”  
“So not much of Mary in her son, then?” Evelyn smirked. Thomas swatted Evelyn playfully.  
“You know what I mean.”  
Evelyn chuckled.  
“It’s lovely to see how much you care about them.”  
“Kids are much easier to get on with. They don’t have the same prejudices that grown ups do, they don’t care that you’re just the Butler, it doesn’t matter to them. If you’re nice to them, they’re nice to you.”  
“I don’t care that you’re “just” the Butler.” Evelyn smiled, discreetly wrapping an arm around Thomas’ waist, whispering in his ear. “To me, you are so much more than that.” Thomas looked around.  
“Evelyn! What if someone sees us?”  
“Then perhaps we should retire inside?” He purred. Thomas smirked. He gave one last look over to the family, waving at Master George and Miss Sybbie, before he followed Evelyn inside.


End file.
